Sunset Hills clean-up efforts ratchet into high gear

Jan. 7, 2011 - Dozens of orange-shirted volunteers go to work cleaning up storm damage at a park adjacent to Sunset Hills police headquarters. They were working Friday, in advance of an all-out effort this weekend in which up to 500 workers will line up elbow-to-elbow and march in a line, picking up every piece of debris in their path, whether it's storm-related or not. (KMOX/Brett Blume)

He’s talking about a clean-up effort that will include dozens of U.S. Marines, Service Employees International Union members, workers from Lutheran Services and Home Depot’s community service wing.

“We create a line at the back of the site, we move forward and we pick up every cigarette butt, every piece of trash on the site,” Mayor Nolan explained.

They’ll work throughout the day Saturday and Sunday.

“I would really like to think that when we’re done people are going to look around and say it’s amazing what small cities can do working together along with the greatest volunteer organizations in the world,” Nolan added.

He says they’re also seeking permits to knock down a couple of buildings that were damaged beyond repair so those sites can be redeveloped.